Adjustable guard arrangement for shoe finishing apparatus



June 14, 1966 R. E. SMITH ETAL ADJUSTABLE GUARD ARRANGEMENT FOR SHOEFINISHING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 23 G965 0. S I R 0N mkk R a n 1 I Hm N R.N w N m fvh wfi Illllllll m n R a ka w w. M mr r s u w \w w NWQ 5 M MN.I I xx 5 a a N Z NN. 8 V 0 W0 M W MGN R QN um mv M June 14, 1966 R. E.SMITH ETAL 3,255,477

ADJUSTABLE GUARD ARRANGEMENT FOR SHOE FINISHING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 23,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III w/ INVENTORJ B snr c. Tn. an m M ewwe ATT'ONYS United States Patent 3,255,477 ADEUSTABLE GUARD ARRANGEMENT FOR SHOEFINISHING APPARATUS Roy E. Smith and Robert C. Tyler, Atlanta, Ga.,assignors to The Auto-Soler Company, a corporation of Georgia Filed Feb.23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,416 9 Claims. (Cl. 12-92) This invention relatesgenerally to shoe finishing apparatus and in particular to an improvedarrangement for locating work positioning guard elements to exceptionaladvantage for use in relation to the trimming cutters of such apparatus.

For the finishing steps in shoe repair operations, a rotating cutter isnormally provided for the initial trimming of soles, heels, and the liketo the proper shape for final finishing; and work positioning or guardmembers are commonly provided for locating the work at the rotatingcutter so that trimming may be accomplished without scarring adjacentportions of the shoe being handled. One guard member 'is normallylocated in shrouding relation to the cutter element and is arranged foraxial adjustment to cooperate with a relatively fixed edge guard memberto vary the exposed width of the cutter element in relation to the widthor thickness of the sole or heel piece to be trimmed.

The shrouding guard members have heretofore been adjusted in a number ofways, all of which are generally characterized by an associated mountingpermitting the guard member to move axially with respect to the cutterelement and by a set screw or other clamping element that must beloosened to allow adjustment and tightened to maintain the guard memberat an adjusted position. Such arrangements require the operator first toloosen the set screw manually, then position the guard member by handand finally retighten the screw, all of which is not only quite unhandybut much less subject to control in providing a proper adjustment thanis desirable.

The present invention provides an arrangement by which the shroudingguard member is maintained freely adjustable so as always to be easilyset for precisely the extent of exposed cutter width that is needed.

Generally characterized, the present invention comprises a collar membermounted at a fixed position concentrically about the cutter elementdrive shaft and arranged interiorly for carrying the shrouding guardmember so as to maintain it freely adjustable at all times in the axialdirection of the drive shaft for selectively setting the exposed widthof the cutter element, as described in further detail below inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary detail in quarter section of an adjustable guardarrangement embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the various elements of thearrangement illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a further detail corresponding to FIG. 1, but showing theillustrated arrangement adjusted to expose a greater cutter width;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a further elevation corresponding generally to FIG. 4, butshowing the normally fixed guard member thereof shifted to a retractedposition, and being partly broken away and sectioned to show thefrictional drag provided for the adjustable guard member; and

FIG. 6 is a further elevation, partly broken away and sectioned, thatshows the FIG. 4 structure as seen from the right.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate a soletrimming embodiment of the present invention in which a fixed collarmember 10, carried suitably by the frame structure (not shown) of theshoe finishing apparatus involved, has a main bearing 12 fitted thereinto support a rotating drive shaft 14 on which a cutter element 16 isclamped between a locating sleeve 18 and a first work positioning guardmember 20. The locating sleeve 18 is fitted on the drive shaft 14 so asto rotate therewith at a fixed position, while the first workpositioning guard member 20 is secured sidewise of the cutter element 16by a mounting screw 22 at the end of shaft 14. A second work positioningguard member 24 is carried concentrically on the drive shaft 14 by amounting arrangment rendering it axially adjust-able with respect tothe'first guard member 20 for determining therebetween the exposed widthof the cutter element 1 6.

The second work positioning guard member 24 includes a fluted headportion 26 presenting finger portions 28 intermeshing with cutterelement v16 below the cutting radius thereof and extending beyond thecutting radius with an inclination directed away from the first workpositioning guard member 20 to form a smooth front surface portion 30thereat. A sleeve portion 32 formed integr-ally with fluted head portion26 is slidably fitted in a bearing unit 34 and positioned about locatingsleeve 18 with a slight clearance to permit axial movement of the secondwork positioning guard member 24 with respect to cutter element 16.

Axial movement of the second work positioning guard member 24 isprovided for by arranging bearing unit 34 Within an axially adjustableshank element 36 that is slidably fitted in collar member 10. Thebearing unit 34 is urged against a lock ring 38 fitted. in groove 40 inshank element 36 by a relatively heavy compression spring 42 bottomed atmain bearing 1-2, and a relatively light compression spring 44 actsbetween bearing unit 34 and the fluted head portion 26 for yieldablymaintaining abutment at a second lock ring 46 fitted in groove 48 ofsleeve portion 32 so that the second work positioning guard member 24 iscarried in following relation by shank element 36. The axial urging ofheavy compression spring 42 at shank element 36 yieldably maintains therearward wall 50 of a helical slot 52 formed therein in abutment with afixed guide element 54 formed at the end of a stud 56 installed incollar member 10 to locate axially the shank element 36 and the secondwork positioning guard member 24 carried thereby.

In FIG. 1, the second work positioning guard member 24 is illustrated atits closest position with respect to first work positioning guard member20 with the fluted head portion 26 thereof shrouding substantially theentire cutter element 16 so that no portion thereof is exposed fortrimming. To adjust the axial position of the second work positioningguard member 24 to provide a desired exposed cutter element width fortrimming soles or the like, the operator grasps shank element 36, whichmay conveniently be roughened as at 58 for this purpose, and turns itwith respect to collar member 10 thereby causing the helical slot wall50 to slide against fixed guide element 54 which adjusts the axialposition of shank element 36 and the second work positioning guardmember 24 carried thereby. For example, FIG. 3 illustrates the secondwork positioning guard member 24 at its adjusted position furtherestfrom first work positioning guard member 20 leaving a maximum width ofcutter element 16 exposed for trimming. To provide a plurality ofselective settings for second work positioning guard member 24intermediate the extreme positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, helicalslot wall 50 includes a plurality of notched portions 50 arranged forsequentially engaging the guide element 54 as shank element 36 isturned. At each setting, the exposed cutter element width is slightlyless than 9 a the corresponding thickness of the sole to be trimmed sothat as the sole is placed against cutter element 16 the second workpositioning guard member 24 is pushed slightly rearwardly against thebias of light compression spring 44 while heavy compression spring 42maintains shank element 36 at its set position. The inclined frontsurface portions 30 of the fluted head portion 26 are thereby urgedagainst the sole being trimmed to round off the edge thereof as isusually done by the inclined rear edge 16 of cutter element 16. Inaddition, the floating action of the second work positioning guardmember 24 will accommodate nicely at any setting the small thicknessvariations normally found in sole material.

In FIGS. 4 to 6, a second embodiment of the present invention isillustrated in a form of the type disclosed and claimed in relatedcopending application Serial No. 387,428, filed August 4, 1964, by RoyE. Smith, and employed for trimming top lifts and the like. A fixedcollar member 110, which is normally attached to a frame structure (notshown), has a cylindrical opening 112 through which a shaft 114 extendsfor driving a cutter element 116 bottomed against a locating sleeve 118fixed to shaft 114; the cutter element 16 being secured thereat by ascrew and washer arrangement 120 threaded into drive shaft 114 (FIG. 6).

Formed integrally with collar member 11!} is a fixed mounting post 122having a clevis member 124 pivotally mounted thereon by a pivot shaft126. A first Work positioning guard member 128 is secured to clevismember 124 for normal disposition sidewise of the cutter element 116 asillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, while being selectively shiftable to asecond displaced position clearing the cutter element 166 for removalfrom drive shaft 114 (FIG. all as described in greater detail in theaforementioned copending application Serial No. 387,428.

The cylindrical opening 112 of collar member 110 is threaded at 130 toengage cooperating threads 132 on shank portion 134 of a second workpositioning guard member 136 which is thereby maintained freelyadjustable at all times in the axial direction to cooperate with thefirst work positioning guard element 128 for selectively setting theexposed cutter element width.

Opening into cylindrical opening 112 at the threaded surface 130 thereofis a radial bore 138 (FIG. 5) arranged to contain an abutment element140 which is urged against threads 132 of shank element 134 by acompression spring 142 which also bears against a plug screw 144threaded into the outer portion of radial bore 138. By turning plugscrew 144, the friction drag imposed at threads 132 by abutment element140 is regulated to maintain the second work positioning guard member136 at its adjusted position yet freely adjustable to other positionswhereby the exposed cutter element width can be selectively set.

With this arrangement of elements, the operator may change the settingof the exposed cutter element Width by grasping the second workpositioning guard member 136 at a roughened surface portion 146 andturning it for axial adjustment with relation to first work positioningguard member 128. A properly calibrated scale 148 may be provided at theexterior surface of second work positioning guard member 136 in relationto an indicator 150 at the adjacent portion of collar member 110 toenable the operator to set selectively the desired exposed cutterelement width quickly and precisely. Also, in this re gard, it will beunderstood that a similar scale and indicator may be provided betweencollar member and shank element 36 of the sole trimming apparatusillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. However, whether or not a scale arrangementof this sort is provided as a guide for adjustment, it should be notedthat both of the embodiments described above allow cutting widthadjustment to be made readily and safely without stopping the cutter,and additionally make a substantial adjustment in cutting width possiblewithout any necessity for changing cutters,

f. both of which features are of important advantage in contrast withcomparable devices heretofore available.

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes ofillustration only and is not intended to be limited by this descriptionor otherwise except as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In shoe finishing apparatus of the character described including arotating cutter element mounted on a drive shaft with a first workpositioning guard member disposed sidewise of said cutter element at anormally fixed disposition with respect to the axial direction of saiddrive shaft and a second work positioning guard member carriedexteriorly of and closely adjacent said rotating cutter in concentricshrouding relation with respect to the opposite side thereof fordetermining the exposed width of said cutter element, the improvementwhich comprises a collar member mounted at a fixed positionconcentrically about said drive shaft and threaded interiorly forcarrying said second guard member, and an exteriorly threaded shankportion formed integrally with said second guard member fitted in saidcollar member for maintaining said second guard member freely adjustablyat all times in the axial direction of said drive shaft for selectivelysetting said exposed cutter element width.

2. In shoe finishing apparatus of the character described including arotating cutter element mounted on a drive shaft with a first workpositioning guard member disposed sidewise of said cutter element at anormally fixed disposition with respect to the axial direction of saiddrive shaft and a second work positioning guard member carried inconcentric shrouding relation with respect to the opposite side of saidcutter element for determining the exposed witdh thereof, theimprovement which comprises a collar member mounted at a fixed positionconcentrically about said drive shaft and formed interiorly with meansfor carrying said second guard member, and a shank element associatedwith said second guard member and fitted in said collar member andcooperating with said carrying means for engagement thereby to supportsaid second guard member and associated shank element in spaced relationto said drive shaft, the engagement of said shank element by said collarmember being adapted to maintain said second guard member freelyadjustable at all times in the axial direction of said drive shaft forselectively setting said exposed cutter element width.

3. The improvement for shoe finishing apparatus as defined in claim 2and further characterized in that said collar member and said shankelement having respective engaging surface portions formed to cause saidaxial adjustment of the second guard member When said shank portion isrotated with respect to said collar member.

4. The improvement for shoe finishing apparatus as defined in claim 2and further characterized in that said collar member is interiorlythreaded and said shank element is exteriorly threaded for providingaxial adjustment of said second guard member upon rotation of said shankelement, and in that said shank portion is formed integrally with saidsecond guard member for supporting said second guard member in spacedrelation to said drive shaft.

5. The improvement for shoe finishing apparatus as defined in claim 4and further characterized in that said collar member is provided with anabutment element biased into contact with said threaded shank elementfor providing sufficient friction drag thereat to maintain said secondguard element at its adjusted position.

6. The improvement for shoe finishing apparatus as defined in claim 2and further characterized in that said collar member is formed topresent a guide element projecting radially inward thereof, and in thatsaid shank element is formed to include a helically arranged abutmentsurface portion disposed to bear against said guide element to causeaxial adjustment of said second guard member when said shank element isrotated with respect to said collar member.

7. The improvement for shoe finishing apparatus as defined in claim 6and further characterized in that said abutment surface includes aseries of notched portions formed therein and arranged for sequentiallyengaging said guide element as said shank portion is rotated in saidcollar member, and in that biasing means is provided to act axiallyagainst said shank element for yieldably maintaining said engagementwhereby the adjusted positions of said second guard member provide aplurality of selective sequential settings for said exposed cutterelement width.

8. The improvement for shoe finishing apparatus defined in claim 2 andfurther characterized in that bearing means is provided for rotatablysupporting said second guard member in said associated shank element,and in that said second guard member is mounted for limited axialmovement with respect to said bearing means and said shank portion andbiased axially toward said first guard member whereby said exposedcutter element width is normally maintained at its selected setting bysaid axial bias while minor variations in work thickness areaccommodated against said bias.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,025,390 5/1912Frascola 1292 X 1,646,654 10/1927 McMurtrey 12--92 1,915,557 6/1933Stoddard 12-92 2,162,141 6/1939 Vest 12-92 2,479,923 8/1949 Gearhart1292 FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, P. D. LAWSON,

Assistant Examiners.

1. IN SHOE FINISHING APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED INCLUDING AROTATING CUTTER ELEMENT MOUNTED ON A DRIVE SHAFT WITH A FIRST WORKPOSITIONING GUARD MEMBER DISPOSED SIDEWISE OF SAID CUTTER ELEMENT AT ANORMALLY FIXED DISPOSITION WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIAL DIRECTION OF SAIDDRIVE SHAFT AND A SECOND WORK POSITIONING GUARD MEMBER CARRIEDEXTERIORLY OF AND CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID ROTATING CUTTER IN CONCENTRICSHROUDING RELATION WITH RESPECT TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE THEREOF FORDETERMINING THE EXPOSED WIDTH OF SAID CUTTER ELEMENT, THE IMPROVEMENTWHICH COMPRISES A COLLAR MEMBER MOUNTED AT A FIXED POSITIONCONCENTRICALLY ABOUT SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND THREADED INTERIORLY FORCARRYING SAID SECOND GUARD MEMBER, AND AN EXTERIORLY THREADED SHANKPORTION FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH SAID SECOND GUARD MEMBER FITTED IN SAIDCOLLAR MEMBER FOR MAINTAINING SAID SECOND GUARD MEMBER FREELY ADJUSTABLYAT ALL TIMES IN THE AXIAL DIRECTION OF SAID DRIVE SHAFT FOR SELECTIVELYSETTING SAID EXPOSED CUTTER ELEMENT WIDTH.